Shuttle-locking device for shoe-sewing machines.



H. O. FLETGHER.' SHUTTLE LOOKING DEVICE FOR SHOE SEWING MACHINES.APPLICATION FILED mm 2-5, 1908.

962,206, Patented June 21,1910.

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HENRY O. FLETCHER, OF HYDE PARK, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHUTTLE-LOCKING DEVICE FOR SHOE-SEWING MACHINES.

Original application filed December 10, 1907, Serial No. 405,939.

- Serial No. 440,215.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY O. FLETCHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hyde Park, in the county of Norfolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Shuttle-Locking Devicesfor Shoe-Sewing Machines, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likenumerals on the drawings representing like parts.

This is a division of my original application Serial No. 405,939, filedDecember 10, 1907, and relates more particularly to the latch or lockingdevice for cooperating with the shuttle and shuttle boX in retaining thebobbin case and bobbin in proper operative position when the machine isrunning and permitting the quick removal of the bobbin and bobbin case.To this end, I have provided an automatic locking mechanism inconnection with a latch or holding arm and handle, so arranged that theparts can be moved instantly from one position to the other simply byoperating the handle.

The constructional details of my invention will be pointed out more atlength in the following description taken with reference to theaccompanying drawings in which I have shown a preferred embodiment of myinvention.

In the drawings; Figure 1 shows the locking device in front elevation,in operative relation to the parts held locked thereby; Fig. 2 is a Viewthereof in side elevation; Fig. 3 is a side view of a portion of thehandle member, the handle itself being broken away; Fig. 4 is a similarview of the latch member or arm and adjacent plate; Fig. 5 is asectional detail on the line 55, Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a sectional detail onthe line 66, Fig. 3; and Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken on theline 77, Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, I have indicated a shuttle boX or case 1 (therear or main portions of the sewing machine being broken away Fig. 2 andnot shown) containing a shuttle 2 which carries a bobbin case 3 and itsusual bobbin (not shown). The securing means consists of a retainer orlocking arm 4 pivoted at 5 to ears 6, 7 in the outer end of a bracket38, said arm having separating lips 8 to limit the movement of thebobbin case 3 by straddling a lug 90 of the bobbin case. The upper endof the Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 11116 21, 1910.

Divided and this application filed June 25,

arm 4 is forked at 9, 10, the former having a plate-like extension,shown best in Fig. 4, and between the forks I have mounted a lockingbolt 11 normally held toward the left, Fig. 1, by a spring 12 bearingagainst the ear 7 at one end and against a collar or shoulder 13 on thebolt at the other end. The forward end of said bolt 11 is beveled asindicated at 14 and normally projects through the fork 9 into acorrespondingly.

beveled aperture in a plate 15 operated by a handle 16. There are two ofthe beveled apertures 17, 18, in the plate 15 as best shown in Fig. 3,and two similarly beveled holes 19, 20, for said bolt in the fork 9, as

best shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The plate 15 is provided with a projecting lug or dog 21 in position toengage a corresponding lug 22 on the fork 9, suflicient loose motionbeing provided for between the lugs 21, 22, see Fig. 2, to permit theplate 15 to move sufficiently to crowd the bolt 11 back before the twolugs strike together,

between the lugs 21 and 22 will bring them alternately into line witheach other to receive the locking bolt for its subsequent lookingmovement. For unlocking the lifted arm 4 so as to permit it to berestored to the full line position shown in the drawings, the lug 21strikes against a lug 23 on the fork 9. On the underside of the bobbincase retainer arm 4 adjacent its upper end are two presser studs orblocks 24 in position to bear against the shuttle retaining ring 25(held in fixed position by screws, Fig. 1) when the retainer 4 is swungdown into locked position, thereby always maintaining a sutficient openspace between the lug 90 of the bobbin case and the lips 8 of saidretainer to permit the free movement of the thread loop in the rotationof the shuttle when a loop is pulled down by the take-up (not shown).

In the course of the foregoing description,

3O claims, to the details herein set forth as con device. In order toremove the bobbin, the operator swings up the handle 16 whichautomatically retracts the bolt 11, first from engagement with thehandle plate 15 and j then from the fork 9, thereby permitting theengagement of the lugs 21 and 22. This latter engagement swin s thelocking arm 4 upwardly into approxlmately horizontal position, raisedsufficiently to be entirely out of the way as shown in dotted lines inFig. 2. Here the arm 4 is automatically locked by the springing of thebolt 11 into the alining holes 20 and 18, which are respectively in thefork 9 and the plate 15. After the depleted bobbin has been removed anda full bobbin put in place, the locking arm 4 is swung down into lockingosition by a reverse movement of the han 1e 16 which first retracts thebolt 11 from therecess or opening 18 and then from the hole 20,whereupon the lug 21 of the handle plate 15 engages the lug 23 of thefork 9 and positively moves the fork 9 and arm 4 downwardly until alinedopenings 19 and 17 come opposite the bolt 11 which thereupon springsinto locking engagement therewith and holds the arm 4 locked. I

It will be understood that I am not limited otherwise than as expressedin the stituting the preferred embodiment of my invention and that myinvention is not restricted to shoe sewing machines, but is applicableto various kinds of sewing machines. I I I Having described myinvention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States is: I

1. The herein described locking device for a shuttle box and its shuttleand bobbin case, consisting of a pivoted locking arm normally dependingin position to retain the bobbin case in place, a spring actuatedlock-ing bolt extending transversely of the plane of pivotal movement ofsaid locking arm eccentrically of its pivot, and an operating handleprovided with means for automatically releasing said bolt and thereafterswinging the arm into unlocked position.

2. The combination with a shuttle box and its shuttle and bobbin case,of a pivoted looking arm normally dependingin position to retain thebobbin case in place, a spring actuated locking bolt extendingtransversely of the plane of pivotal movement on said locking armeccentrically of its pivot, and an operating handle provided withmeansfor automatically releasing said bolt and swinging the arm intounlocking position, and thereafter permitting the bolt to spring intolocking position to lock the arm raised.

3. The combination with a shuttle box, of a locking arm pivoted to swingadjacent the end of said box, said arm having a wide forked upper end,one of the forks thereof having a plate-like extension provided withseparated beveled holes, and projecting lugs, and a cooperating plateand handle mounted coaxially of said arm next to said platelikeextension and provided with beveled apertures slightly farther apartthan said openings and adapted at times to aline therewith, said handleplate having a lug in po sition to engage said lugs, one at a timeaccordin to the direction of movement of the handle, and a springimpelled locking bolt mounted in osition to cooperate with said holes inloc ing and unlocking their respective parts according to the positioninto which said handle and locking arm are moved.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY O. FLETCHER.

Witnesses:

M. J. SPALDING, EDWARD MAXWELL.

